


Cold Heart

by KainWarheit



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games), Mortal Kombat - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, based on a dream I had idk, light subzero/reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-08-20 00:03:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16544903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KainWarheit/pseuds/KainWarheit
Summary: “...Just promise to respect this place, okay?”





	Cold Heart

_**There is a place deep within the grounds of the Lin Kuei that only one person knows about. The Grandmaster. Inside is a place filled with sorrow and regret. A place as cold as the memory held within.** _

 

You were always the curious type, even before joining the ranks of the Lin Kuei, and even after vigorous training, your curiosity never seemed to falter. You were always sticking your nose where it really shouldn't belong, therefore being reprimanded by your superiors. But, some found your curiosity to be... entertaining, useful, perhaps even helpful at times. No matter, you kept to it, as it served you well—most of the time.

 

Winter came and most of the training was done inside, save for those who wanted to strengthen their body against the elements. You, yourself, had finished your assigned training for the day and were left to wander. During this time, you would find yourself exploring every inch that the Lin Kuei grounds had to offer. This was usually when your curiosity would get you in trouble, but, asides from the reprimands and punishments, you basically had the whole grounds mapped out in your head.

 

Snow fell gently today, causing your breath to steam as you walked outside. It was... peaceful. Pleasant, even. Then again, most Lin Kuei warriors either had an affinity towards or would become quickly accustomed to the cold, snow, etc. The snow crunched under your heavy boots as you loosened the scarf around your neck, looking up at the sky. It was solemn, bleak, and it almost made your heart ache. You closed your eyes...

 

_“Hey, (name)! Come here!”_

 

_Your good friend had called out to you and pulled you into the room you two had shared._

 

_“Hmm? What is it?”_

 

_Your curiosity, curse it, had you interested already—it looked like your friend had something awfully nice to share..._

 

_“I learned something absolutely amazing today,” they hissed under their breath. “But, look, you can't tell anyone, got it?”_

 

_You nodded in response and leaned in a bit to listen._

 

_“So, get this, I was in the main chambers today and over heard the Grandmaster and his assistant talking, right? Sure, I pretended I wasn't listening, but I totally was! Anyways, so as they were talking, I heard the other guy mention 'your brother'--as in the Grandmaster has a brother! What do you think? … Then again, by the look in Grandmaster's eyes as I happened to glance up, there must be some bad history. Death, disappearance, falling out—who knows.”_

 

You opened your eyes again and blinked a few times, coming out of the memory from last week. A brother... Knowing you couldn't go ask Grandmaster outright to solve this mystery, you shrugged it off and kept walking, albeit in quite the daze. You kept almost running into trees as you zig-zagged your way through an area of thick woods.

 

When you stopped, you looked around, noticing you... you had become lost! This felt impossible to you as you had nearly memorized all of the grounds. You could hear your own heartbeat as you looked around, noticing something odd. Silence. Dead silence. Usually there were at least a few winter hares out and about, scavenging for what they could find. But, here, there was nothing. No wind, no fauna, no other Lin Kuei; nothing. Again, curiosity took over, and you felt the need to explore. What secrets were held within this forest?

 

Your heartbeat continued to beat in your ears, louder with each crunching footstep. You weren't exactly sure what feeling was taking over, but it seemed the more you walked, the more this feeling gripped you—wrapping around your chest like a vice. Fear? Preposterous! You were a Lin Kuei warrior and fear was no where in your emotion range... Was it?

 

For once in your curious life, something in your very soul told you to turn back, that you honestly, surely shouldn't be here. But your legs and mind went on, carrying you towards something you feared you would regret. In the distance, something came into view. A large boulder it seemed... But as you got closer, you saw there was an entry way in the middle.

 

A cave?

 

What was a cave doing here of all places? You paused, looking behind you—you could have swore you felt someone behind you for a moment. Seeing no one and no longer sensing any presence, you went on. Letting out a shaky breath, you stood at the entrance of the cave and peering inside. It looked like a very steep walkway and a very dark one to boot...

 

Careful, you stepped inside, hyper aware of your footing, as you didn't want to miss a step and go tumbling all the way down. The deeper down you walked, the darker and colder it got. It wasn't like any other cold the winters in the mountain brought. It was an extreme cold—one that burned your lungs, causing you to tighten your scarf around your face. You tried not to cough, mostly as you became afraid of the echo it would create?

 

But why?

 

Again, that feeling became present—a feeling that this wasn't a place you should be in. Something felt... sacred about these grounds. But you didn't know why. Giant icicles hung from the ceiling and mounds of ice and snow piled on the floor. You inched closer to the heart of the small cave, until a voice pulled you from your trance, making you jump out of your skin.

 

“Stop there, I command it.”

 

You instantly knew who it was before you even heard the voice—it was the Grandmaster himself: Sub-Zero. A flame was lit behind you as you turned to see him lighting a torch. The fire illuminated his features, and you saw he was in his normal garb. You pondered how in all the Realms he could withstand _this_ level of cold! But then again, he wasn't Sub-Zero for anything...

 

“(name)... I should have known it was you.”

 

You swallowed hard, yet, there was no hint of anger or even annoyance in his voice, much like others would hold as they scolded you for being in places you shouldn't. He steps forward, placing a hand on your shoulder.

 

“Mm,” he hums and almost sighs. “You're freezing. How can you press on when your body cannot handle it?”

 

Before you can come up with an answer, he smiles, pulling you close to him for a moment. He's warm—which is extremely surprising—and you find this moment to be rather enjoyable as you can breath without your lungs hurting. You close your eyes and listen to him speak.

 

“Your curiosity has always been astounding. It has a sort of... charm to it.” He pauses to chuckle and you can feel the rumble of his chest, causing your face to flush slightly. “But one day, it will not be so charming, and I fear for your safety, little (name).”

 

You frown, knowing you have been told this time and time again. But, somehow, as he says it... it feels like it's finally hitting home for you.

 

He begins to walk, still holding you close to keep you warm. As the two of you walk leisurely, you come across a large torch basin, and Sub-Zero takes his hand torch to light its contents, causing a large flame to spark up.

 

“Do you know what this place is that you've found,” he asks softly, eyes looking forward towards something you can't quite see yet. You shake your head and look up at him for an answer. He lets go of you, leaving you warm by the large fire, and walks forward, igniting another large torch basin.

 

From the light of the flames, you see a large stone slab, with intricate writing engraved in it. Your heart stops as your realize why you shouldn't have been here. Why it had felt so sacred.

 

...It was a grave.

 

The Grandmaster looks at the large marker and bows his head to it before turning back to you.

 

“There was a time not long ago, when I wasn't Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei,” he explains, walking back to you. “A time when someone else watched over our clan.”

 

You gazed up at him, the flame of the torch flickering in your eyes, bewilderment of his story already sparkling in your visage.

 

“...A time when my older brother was alive. Bi-Han.”

 

You felt a sting in your chest, remembering what your friend had said before, their words echoing in your mind: _“Then again, by the look in Grandmaster's eyes as I happened to glance up, there must be some bad history. Death, disappearance, falling out—who knows”_.

 

Sub-Zero practically felt the question from you before you could even open your mouth, causing his features to fall slightly and, for once, emotion to show.

 

“He... died. Valiantly, as any Lin Kuei warrior could.”

 

He snuffed out his hand torch in a nearby pile of snow, turning towards you with the same expression he always had. Looks like that's all he cared to say on the subject.

 

Suddenly, he took you up in his strong arms and held you close to his chest, looking down as you held onto him, shivering, teeth chattering.

 

“Come, let's get you back and warmed up. No need for a good warrior to get sick.”

 

...

 

“...Just promise to respect this place, okay?”

 


End file.
